AP
Sebastian Black (right) flashes a 'V' with his fingers to indicate Tamra Sheehan's virginity during a ticket giveaway in New York, on Thursday. The producers of the new off-Broadway show, 'My First Time', were giving away free tickets to anyone who could pass Black's questioning regarding his or her chastity.

NEW YORK (AP):

How do you prove you're a virgin in the town that inspired Sex and the City?

The producers of an off-Broadway show are giving away free tickets to anyone who can demonstrate his or her chastity.

Which raises the question: Just how does one prove such a thing?

Ken Davenport, who created the show My First Time, has hired a hypnotist to screen people standing in line for free tickets outside the midtown Manhattan theatre.

"He will determine their status," says Davenport, the 34-year-old producer of the 90-minute comedy that opened Thursday night.

The show is based on a decade-old website that invites people to anonymously share their stories about losing their virginity.

"I still have the Metallica shirt he wore that night," one person wrote on the website.

Human lie detector

The human lie detector, Sebastian Black, describes himself as a mind reader and a psychic hypnotist.

"He's a master of body language and tone of voice," Davenport said.

Davenport says the 'virgin' stunt serves the subject of the play - "which is to get people to talk about their first sexual experience, something that almost any person on the planet has in common, whether in the United States or Rome."

He could not say how many actual virgins were likely to be admitted to the theatre.

Limited 'virgin tickets'

"There are a limited number of 'virgin tickets' available," he said, adding, "however, there are not that many virgins in New York City."

One thing is sure: It's all about sex in the big city - and possibly hyping the age-old but ever-interesting subject to make a little money.

Tickets for the open-run My First Time are going from US$25 to US$59.